The Lea Valley Academy
61%
Capacity
848
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About The Lea Valley Academy
Parent experience at The Lea Valley Academy is a mixed picture. The school is significantly oversubscribed, with 277 applications for 104 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.66. Of those, 79 first-preference families received offers. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school does not publish a parent recommendation percentage in its data. The headteacher is Stephen Kinson, and the school is a mixed, non-religious secondary in Enfield with a capacity of 1,400 but currently housing just 848 pupils, so there is room to grow. The most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, rated the school Good across all categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. That is consistent with its previous 2013 inspection, which also rated overall effectiveness as Good.
Academically, the school faces challenges. Its Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is -0.68, which is well below average nationally and ranks it 20th out of 20 secondary schools in Enfield. The local authority average Progress 8 is 0.09, so the school is significantly behind its peers. Attainment 8 sits at 33.1, and only 25.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure). The EBacc entry rate is low at 18.3%, and just 5.5% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the picture is more encouraging: the value-added score is 0.11, classed as average, and the average points per entry is 26.28, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C+, with 12.5% of entries achieving AAB or higher. The sixth form is small, with just 32 pupils in the data.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sixth-form centre, and chapel, plus sports such as rowing and hockey. There are clubs covering coding, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and gardening. SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With 52.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a high-deprivation intake. Given its oversubscription but below-average Progress 8, this is a school that families in Enfield clearly want to attend, perhaps for its inclusive ethos and strong sixth-form value added, but those focused on top academic outcomes may want to look at higher-performing local options like St Ignatius College, 1.3 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Enfield, EN3 6TW |
| Headteacher | Stephen Kinson |
| Local Authority | Enfield |
| Number of Pupils | 848 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 52.2% |
| School Capacity | 848 / 1,400 (61% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.68)
2828th of 3,141
Nationally
470th of 487
In London
20th of 20
In Enfield
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
28.3
'22/23
29.8
'23/24
26.3
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2376%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 54 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
8%
Russell Group
8%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)76%
- Employment13%
- Not sustained7%
- Other education2%
- Apprenticeship2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed104
277
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
79 families put this school as their 1st choice (29% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White (other)31.7%
- White British15.8%
- Mixed10.5%
- Asian4.4%
- Black3.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
14
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Lea Valley Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield
Enfield, EN3 6TW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at The Lea Valley Academy!
Write a Review